Thanks
by FireDragonPhia
Summary: And it was all thanks to the man with wild pink hair who grabbed her hand.
Today was turning out to be the most incredible day of Lucy Heartfilia's life.

This was not supposed to happen. In fact, her mind was still whirling slightly because she honestly couldn't comprehend what had just transpired.

Her chocolate brown eyes looked down to the large, calloused hand that grasped hers so firmly- so _surely_ -that led up an incredibly muscled arm. That incredibly muscled arm was attached to a man with bright pink hair that stuck up in odd angles, and had a grin so bright she almost thought he was a child.

But no, he was _definitely_ a man.

She could see it in his eyes- the maturity and the pain he had gone through, the sorrow and the tears... it was all there. He was not a child, maybe he acted as one, but he was not in his heart.

The way he clung to the scarf around his neck with some sort of hope reminded her as well. There was a story behind it, and though they had hardly spoken to each other, she wanted to know it.

"We'll have to take a train," He said, the blonde not missing the way he shivered in disgust(A bad experience with a train, perhaps?). "It'll only be about an hour trip then."

"To Magnolia?" She asked, the male glancing to her with those big emerald eyes and nodding.

"To Magnolia." He responded with a smile that somehow made her heart stutter in her chest. She silently reprimanded herself, thinking of how incredibly strange this entire situation was.

She hadn't even known this man for more than four hours and somehow she felt so comfortable around him. She supposed that she would feel comfortable around him since he _had_ saved her from her captors. Well not _captors._ Her father, really.

Then again, though, what kind of father locks you in your room and refuses to let you leave? Captor was a more fitting name than 'Father'. She's tried to escape many times, and sometimes had succeeded, but the people he hired to get her back were better and stronger than she was.

If this man hadn't crossed her path and socked her persuer in the face, she might be back at that awful mansion. She might still be living a life with no freedom, getting ready to marry that douche, William. She might have been sobbing her eyes out because she had lost all hope of escaping him.

It was strange. _He_ was strange. But she couldn't bring herself to tear her hand away from his grip.

He was just so warm.

He emitted a strange aura of security and safety that she just couldn't shy away from. For the first time in _years_ she felt safe.

She didn't have to spill her feelings and beg him to take her somewhere safe- he just accepted her. From the few words they had exchanged he had already been nicer to her than anyone from her household. Not an ounce of this kindness had ever been shown to her since her mother's untimely death, and she was so grateful to this one person she thought her heart would burst.

"You'll love it at Fairy Tail." He said suddenly as the woman glanced to him through thick lashes. "It's a bit rowdy, but you'll fit right in. We love getting new members."

"New members?" She asked quietly, hearing him chuckle. Again, her heart stuttered in her chest. She would probably never get used to hearing that without feeling like her heart would burst.

But the worst thing about that was that she had no idea why it felt like bursting. It confused and intrigued her.

"Yeah, we're kinda like a big club." He said, squeezing her hand gently and continuing to keep his eyes forward towards the train station. "Only it's more than that... we're family too. We look out for each other and love each other when our 'real' families couldn't." He turned his mature eyes to her and she felt herself soften under his gaze. "I have a good feeling that everyone will love you."

"Wow," She responded, feeling heat crawl up her neck and ears. It was so unfamiliar to be feeling like this- another thing that her father had taken away from her. She missed out on so many things. She often forgot books could only make you feel things to a certain extent- they were nothing compared to the life experience.

There were so many things she wanted to do. There were hundreds of possibilities and now because of this man she could start to finally _live._ She could finally start to feel things other than loneliness and heartbreak. Maybe she could learn what love felt like? Like the characters in her books always seemed to use 'love' to describe their partner though she had never... never felt love. Not since her mother died, at least.

She had a feeling that things weren't going to be easy, but now she was given the chance to not mind. There were things to work through, things to learn and try, things to think about and confusion that would surely hang around her for a long time.

"Things are going to be better now." He said simply, though it sounded as though it meant more. It sounded like a promise.

"I think you're right." She whispered. She turned her eyes to the stars and watched as they shone brighter than ever before. When she looked back to the man who was holding her hand, she couldn't help but grin. A real grin- perhaps her first one in years.

There was a really good feeling spreading through her bones upon seeing him grin back, his pointed canines pronounced and he looked so... something. That something made her stomach flip, and she felt excitement rise within her. She had so much to learn, and she couldn't wait to start.

And it was all thanks to the man with wild pink hair who held her hand and led her bravely to a new life.

* * *

 **Hey humans.**

 **This was just a random thought that came to mind. I just wrote one sentence and then kept going. I tailored it up a little, so I hope it isn't too confusing.**

 **So basically a Lucy who has never left her home before then, and is found by a mysterious man who is, surprise surprise, Natsu. I may continue this with one-shots to Lucy adjusting to life in the real world so stay tuned. There will be a whole lotta angst with this.**

 **Thanks a bunch for checking this out and if you aren't busy, check out some of my other works. It's greatly appreciated.**

 **Anywho, make sure to keep calm and breathe fire.**

 **-FireDragonPhia**


End file.
